The 10 best freelance UX designers to hire in 2018

Have you ever used a site or app where everything just felt right. You had no trouble finding anything and the controls were perfectly intuitive. Even though it was your first time, you used it like a pro right from the start. That “works like magic” quality is UX—the user experience—and it does more than just make users smile. It also raises conversions and ushers shoppers through the funnel.

UX can be a big help to any business, but some designers understand it better than others. Below, we’ve compiled a shortlist of the best UX designers, all ready to be hired.

How did we choose these top user experience designers?
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We take design seriously and know how frustrating it can be to put all your hopes in the hands of an “online stranger.” That’s why we take the time to make sure that the designers we recommend are able to deliver. Here’s what we take into consideration:

1. Overall design quality

First and foremost, we look at the quality of a designer’s work. Our team of design experts go through and rate the work of each new 99design freelancer, looking at conceptual thought, technical execution and knowledge of design principles. They then rank them in one of three levels:

Top Level

Mid Level

Entry Level

2. UX experience

Expecting your designer to automatically be good at UX is like expecting a podiatrist to also be a top-notch brain surgeon. UX design is a completely separate discipline with its own skill set and knowledge base, so it’s similar to a specialization.

99designs monitors how many successful designs each designer has in categories related to UX, then takes that into consideration when we rank them.

3. Professionalism

Finally, we look at the designer’s professionalism: how well they communicate, meet deadlines, and treat their clients overall.

What to think about when hiring a UX designer
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Often, you’ll find a handful of UX designers you like but won’t know whom to choose. Sometimes criteria like skill level or cost aren’t enough to narrow it down. If you’re having trouble deciding or simply want to make the best decision possible, go through the works in their portfolio and pay attention to:

Usability. Do the controls feels natural or forced?

Style. Does the designer’s style and personal taste match yours?

Navigation. How easily can you go where you want?

Accents. Which elements steal your attention? Is it deliberate like calls-to-action or next step suggestions? If you’re unsure, try squinting to blur your vision and see which areas of the screen pop out.

Given the nature of user experience, you really need to experience a designer’s previous work yourself to gauge their application of UX design.

Are you ready to hire the best freelance UX designer?
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It’s not luck that determines conversions, engagement, customer loyalty, time-on-site and basic enjoyment; these are manufactured by smart and informed design decisions. The subtle art of user experience design may seem abstract, but the best UX designers can manufacture that “magic” feeling on a molecular level by managing the nuts and bolts of design: layout, visual flow, color usage, typography and professional insight into user behavior.

There’s nothing magical about a site or app that works like magic; all it takes is hiring the right UX designer.

These 10 designers weren’t your cup of tea?

We have hundreds more UX designers in a variety of styles, talents and price levels.